


Wooden Hearts

by faithinthepoor



Series: Once Upon a Time [11]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 10:30:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faithinthepoor/pseuds/faithinthepoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during the episode The Stranger</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wooden Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> In my series this follows my [Fairytale Drabbles](http://archiveofourown.org/works/618763), [Mirror Mirror](http://archiveofourown.org/works/618771), [This Provincial Life](http://archiveofourown.org/works/618775), [Viviane or Nimue](http://archiveofourown.org/works/618809), [Dreams and Wishes](http://archiveofourown.org/works/618851), [All the Better To….](http://archiveofourown.org/works/619484), [Magic Keys](http://archiveofourown.org/works/619497), [Curiouser and Curiouser](http://archiveofourown.org/works/619514), [Snow Blind](http://archiveofourown.org/works/620280) and [Spinning Straw](http://archiveofourown.org/works/620288)

Once again she finds herself standing outside of Regina’s door and as usual this is the last place she should be. There is absolutely no reason for her to be here. Emma had made a conscious decision that she would never set foot on this property again. Her plan was simple, it was meant to be idiot proof, she should be free and clear by now. All she had to do was contact Henry from the car and he would have come running. 

Emma has no answer as to why that did not happen. Likewise she can not explain why she got out of the car and walked down the path. It seems that sometimes she is compelled by forces beyond her control and it appears that Regina is central to these strange forces. Even now, when she is leaving to protect her own sanity, she is drawn to Mayor Mills.

Emma leans against the door and tells herself that this is far as she goes. She will not knock, she won’t even make a sound, because she can not risk seeing Regina. Henry needs to get out of Storybrooke, they both do, and Emma will not let anything deter her. She’s wise enough to know that if she looks at Regina there is every chance that her desire to leave will simply melt away. She can not let that happen. For once in her life she is certain that leaving is the right thing to do.

She keeps her promise to herself. She stays as quite as a mouse, quieter actually, she doesn’t make so much as a squeak. Silence is easy. Moving away from the door is much harder. She is stuck there in her silent limbo, her past and her future on either side of a piece of wood. 

Emma wants to make the right decision, she wants to pick the future, she really does. The allure of the past is very strong though. Beyond that door is Regina along with all the wonder and all the pain that she offers and right now the former seems to be more important than the latter. 

The only thing that saves her from the tidal pull Regina Mills seems to have over her is the thought of Henry. This isn’t just about her. She might be willing to gamble with her own future but she can’t sacrifice his. Emma places a kiss to her fingertips and then caresses the number on Regina’s door. 

Her throat burns with unshed tears as she turns to leave. Emma’s feet feel leaden as she tries to make her way back down the path. Progress is slow and she has only gone a few metres when she hears Regina’s voice.

“So you’re just going to leave without saying goodbye?”

The accusation hangs in the air. There is no way Regina could know of her true intentions but it feels like she has been sprung. She does her best to look innocent as she turns to face Regina, “I thought it was too late to intrude.”

“That’s never stopped you before.”

All she can see is Regina’s backlit silhouette but it is obvious that the mayor is not her usual composed self. Regina’s dress must be at least partly undone as it is falling off her shoulder and the glass in her hand is tilted at a precarious angle. “Are you ok?” Emma asks.

“Why wouldn’t I be? My life is nothing but perfection.” Regina’s tone is a concern to Emma. It’s so unlike Regina that it makes her seem broken.

She returns to the door to look Regina in the eye. “Seriously, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Everything is absolutely, positively perfect. I have a devoted son and a doting girlfriend what more could I want.”

Again Emma is having difficulty shaking the feeling that Regina knows what she’s planning. The feeling is very real but it makes no sense and so she decides to focus on something else. Regina sloshes whiskey all over Emma’s jacket providing the perfect distraction. “I think you’re drunk.”

“Well then you are behind me because I _know_ I’m drunk.”

She is tempted to laugh but the situation is far too serious. Emma dips a finger into Regina’s drink so that she can confirm the contents. “Scotch isn’t usually your style.”

“I was out of wine,” Regina shrugs and steps back.

“What about your cider?” Emma follows Regina over the threshold.

“Sometimes apples are just not powerful enough.” The mayor raises her glass and spills alcohol all over the floor. “Shit,” she says as she prods the mess with her stocking clad foot. “I guess I’ll add this to the list of things I need to clean up in the morning.”

“What else is on the list?”

Regina takes her hand and leads her to a graveyard of jagged glass, “This for a start.”

“You broke a mirror?” Emma asks somewhat redundantly. 

“Looks like it’s seven years bad luck for me,” Regina says and then bursts into hysterical laughter.

“I’ve never seen you like this. I’m worried,” Emma admits.

“You’re not the only one with pain. You’re not the only one allowed to fall apart.”

“Maybe not,” she drops her voice and steps into Regina’s personal space, “but Henry’s in your care. I could use this against you.” It’s an oddly intimate setting for such dangerous words. 

“Fuck you pot. You don’t get to call me black over drinking too much.” Emma expects Regina to come at her about drink driving or public responsibility and she’s shocked when Regina instead says, “Besides we both know it doesn’t matter. The die is already cast.”

“What are you talking about?”

“There’s not going to be any legal battle is there?”

That’s when she knows that Regina knows. Really knows. Regina may not be sure of the details but Emma is convinced that the other woman is aware that she is going to steal Henry away. She expected anger when Regina found out. Flames and war. Eternal fury and hell on Earth. There is none of that. Regina just seems resigned; there is not an ounce of fight in her. That’s when Emma realises what she is witnessing, this isn’t just defeat, this is grief. 

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Don’t say anything. Just go. It’s what you do best.” Regina steps back and Emma can hear glass crunching under the mayor’s bare feet.

“Stop it!” Emma insists. “You’ll hurt yourself.”

“Don’t pretend that you care.”

“I do care. Regina you are bleeding.”

Regina looks down to where the blood is already seeping onto the carpet and gives a small shake of her head. She brings her head back up and looks Emma in the eye as she says, “At least these wounds will heal.”

Emma doesn’t give a verbal response. There aren’t any words that could help the situation. She scoops Regina up into her arms and carries her over the field of debris.

“Put me down,” Regina commands but at the same time she clings to Emma’s neck. “I don’t need rescuing.”

“Well lucky for you I’m not interested in being anyone’s saviour.”

“Then put me down,” Regina repeats.

“Not until I get you upstairs.”

“You are not coming upstairs.”

“I doubt that anyone is going to stop me,” Emma points out.

Regina squirms in her arms and attempts to take a swing at her. The motion causes Regina to lose hold of her glass and it tumbles down the stairs. “I needed that,” Regina bemoans.

“You really, really didn’t.”

Regina’s eyes narrow to slits and she scowls at Emma, “You don’t care about what I need.”

“That’s not true,” Emma says as she continues to struggle up the stairs. “Cleary I care enough to not let you cut your feet to shreds.”

“If I wanted working feet I would see a doctor. I have other needs that I’m much more interested in dealing with.” Regina opens her eyes wide and fires Emma a look of pure lust.

“Well lucky for you there is a doctor in this town who I suspect would sleep with anything with a pulse. You could get two needs met at once.”

“I’m not after a bargain. Do I look like a woman who clips coupons?”

To Emma, Regina looks like a woman who shouldn’t even know what clipping coupons means. “Well if you are going to be picky you might end up sexually frustrated and lose your foot to some hideous infection.”

“Well my way I might end up footless but at least I know I’m going to be sexually satisfied tonight.” Regina tightens her grip around Emma’s neck and places kisses along the sheriff’s jaw line.

“How can you possibly know that?”

“Sex with you is always satisfying my dear.”

“Thank you,” Emma says as she tries to suppress a smile.

“I should be the one who is thanking you.” Regina manages to nip at Emma’s earlobe. “I will later if you’re up to your usual standard.”

They have reached Regina’s room and Emma attempts to manoeuvre them through the door. She’s not particularly successful and she bangs Regina’s legs on the frame. She is about to apologise but it seems Regina is too drunk to notice or at least too drunk to care. “Why are you so confident that we are having sex?”

“I got you into my bedroom didn’t I?”

“Yes. Yes you did.” She carries Regina to the bed and carefully places her on the edge. The care was pointless as Regina immediately tumbles to the ground. Emma reaches down and strokes Regina’s cheek, “Now you are going to have to get yourself back up.”

“You’re not going to leave are you?” There is an edge to Regina’s voice and this in combination with the fear behind the words hits Emma like a kick to the chest. It has been easy to paint Regina as the villain and for Emma to justify her plans to leave but what Emma is doing right now is truly evil. She can not think about it. She refuses to let it ruin her last moments with Regina. 

“I’m just going to get you some pyjamas.”

“Ok,” Regina says warily, “but I don’t see why they are necessary right now.”

“Just get back on the bed.”

“Now that bit I’m in complete agreement with.”

Emma can hear that Regina is having some trouble and it’s hard not to turn around and help her. She can’t though. This is already far too difficult. All she can do is concentrate on her own task and in doing so continue to pretend that she’s here for the right reasons. Well other than the bit where she is really here to kidnap Regina’s son. 

Looking through Regina’s things makes Emma feel uncomfortable. Silk and lace slide through her fingers as she riffles through Regina’s drawers. The garments produce a flood of inappropriate thoughts and Emma strives to find the dowdiest item that she can. Eventually she finds something sort of suitable. Regina will still look gorgeous in it but that’s a problem that can’t be solved. The pyjamas will at least cover most of Regina’s skin and hopefully help Emma resist temptation.

She returns to the bed and tries to be all business. She places the pyjamas beside Regina and says, “Ok let’s get you out of that dress.”

“I’m in support of that.” Regina pokes at the nightclothes, “I’m not sure about these though.”

“One thing at a time.” Emma kneels down and starts to work on Regina’s stockings. She pulls and pulls but she can’t get them to come off. “I’m going to need some help.” Regina slides to the edge of the bed and in return the stockings slide more easily. Regina whimpers when Emma tries to pull them off her damaged feet. The blood has glued the material to Regina’s skin and Emma’s efforts cause the wounds to start to bleed anew. “Oh sweetie. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Your seduction technique is really subpar tonight Emma. In general causing someone to bleed is not considered an aphrodisiac.”

“Excuse me; I am not the one who broke the glass. Also you can’t seem to stop talking about how you want to have sex with me so I think I am far from failing.”

“Oh I always want you but that doesn’t mean you should rest of your natural sexuality. That’s a little lazy and it’s also a little arrogant. People like it when you put some effort in. I like it. I like to be wooed.” Regina’s words issue a challenge that is hard for Emma to ignore. She is tempted to show Regina all of her very best moves and has to remind herself that sex is the worst thing that could happen right now. Emma slides her hands under Regina’s thighs in what she hopes is the least erotic way possible. She gathers the hem of Regina’s dress and pulls it off over her head. 

Emma locks eyes with Regina and almost crumbles. She has to close them to break Regina’s gaze and then she is able to turn her attention to the set of the pyjamas. Her intentions were pure, sort of, but she only gets as far as putting on Regina’s pants. Touching Regina’s skin didn’t help but the nail in her coffin is Regina asking, “Is this it? Is this all I get?” Emma lets the shirt in her hand fall to the floor and pushes Regina back onto the bed.

She finds herself straddling Regina and kissing her senseless and wonders why she ever thought that this wasn’t going to happen. This is what they were meant to do. What they were born to do.

Emma sits up and rips her jacket off. She then makes short work of her shirt and when she is done she pauses to drink in the sight of Regina. “You’re so beautiful,” she says as she traces a finger over the scar above Regina’s lips. 

“Not many people think so,” Regina states softly.

“People are idiots. Sometimes it blows my mind how beautiful you are. I only have to look at you and my heart races.”

“It does?”

“All of the time. Every single time I see you.”

“I like that,” Regina says earnestly.

“I don’t do that to you, do I?” 

“No,” Regina replies and Emma feels her own heart stop. “Don’t take it personally. I don’t have a heart.”

“Regina you shouldn’t say things like that. You totally have a heart.”

“I don’t but it’s ok. Sometimes that’s a good thing. At least it can’t be broken.”

“Stop it.” This is too much for Emma to deal with. She can not think about that fact that she is going to break both of their hearts, it would kill her. Emma places her hand over Regina’s chest and says, “You have a heart. A good heart. I can feel it beating.”

Regina doesn’t say anything but she looks very uncomfortable. Emma lifts her hand and realises that it has been over the ring that lives on the chain around Regina’s neck. The chain Regina keeps hidden. She picks it up and can feel Regina’s body go stiff. 

“This is from him?” Emma asks. She knows that the question is vague but she is fairly certain that Regina will need no further clarification.

“Yes”

“Do you want to take it off?”

“No!” Regina’s reply is sharp and it gives Emma pause.

“Do you want us to stop?” 

“Never.” Regina’s eyes are fierce and they burn with need. She pushes the ring aside and pulls Emma’s head down giving her an uncompromising kiss. When they break apart Regina toys with Emma’s hair and says, “I do have one small request though.”

“Really,” Emma is intrigued, “what is that?”

Regina moves her head so that she can whisper in Emma’s ear, “Take your clothes off.”

Emma complies with the request in record speed. Even her boots cause her less trouble than usual. When she is done she is pleased to note that Regina has shimmied out of what little clothing she had on. 

“I take it you like what you see,” Regina says with a small laugh when Emma practically leaps on top of her.  
.  
“I certainly have no complaints,” Emma confirms as she kisses her way down the valley between Regina’s breasts. 

She is careful to avoid the ring as she moves her way across to Regina’s nipple. Emma takes the tender flesh into her mouth while her fingers pinch the nipple’s twin. 

Regina whimpers in response but it is a very different whimper to earlier. Emma looks down at the woman below her, taking in the fact that her eyes are closed and that she is biting her lip, and without thinking she says, “You’re mine.”

“Thank you.”

Emma pushes her knee between Regina’s legs. “For what?” she asks.

“For lying to me.” Emma stops and again studies Regina’s face. Regina doesn’t look angry. If anything she looks content, maybe even happy, and for some reason this aggravates Emma.

“It’s not a lie.”

“It’s ok. I know you don’t love me Emma.”

She doesn’t exactly protest but she does say, “You can’t know that.”

“I can and I do,” Regina insists. “It’s ok,” she adds as she runs a soothing hand over Emma’s back. “It’s not you. Nobody loves me. Nobody ever can.”

“Because of him?” Emma pulls at the chain around Regina neck and places the ring in palm of her hand.

Regina flinches but she allows Emma to keep hold of the ring. “Because of everything that has followed. I want you to know that I was loveable once.”

“And you know this because he loved you?” Emma is surprised by how bitter she sounds. She’s even more surprised by how bitter she feels. Regina’s past shouldn’t matter to someone who is planning on leaving forever.

“Because I used to be different. Better. I wish you could have met that version of me but that would not have been possible. If I hadn’t changed we never would have met and I am very glad I met you Emma Swan.”

Emma’s heart feels heavy and there is an acid taste in her mouth. She can’t handle Regina or the things Regina makes her feel and so she ends the conversation with a forceful kiss. 

They don’t speak again. They just concentrate on the sex. It’s different to usual. It is not a battle. Regina is not trying to outdo her. Emma is allowed to match her partner stroke for stroke and thrust for thrust. She loses herself in Regina and all she has to offer. 

She rains kisses with the speed and force of a small hurricane and does her best to touch every inch of skin her fingers can find. When Regina pushes her onto her back she spreads her legs willingly. Regina’s fingers dive into her and curl as they tap at her walls. Emma tries to keep touching Regina but the sensations in her body are becoming overwhelming. She grabs at the sheets and her hips buck in time with Regina’s movements. Her back arches and her toes curl. She calls Regina’s name as she climaxes.

Regina strokes her hair until the quakes in her body subside and she returns to reality. “You ok?”

“Better than ok,” Emma says.

“I like it when you scream my name.”

“I like what you do to make me scream your name,” she parries.

“Is that so?”

“Very much.”

“And what are you going to do to make me call your name?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“This is not something that I’m going to be patient about.”

“Good thing I’m firing on all cylinders then.” She kisses Regina soundly and then licks the column of Regina’s neck. Her fingers trace across the mayor’s collarbones as her tongue paints a stripe down the centre of Regina’s chest. She moves her fingers to the set of erect nipples and latches her mouth to a patch of skin slightly above Regina’s left areola.

“Are you trying to give me a hickey?”

“Mmmhmm,” Emma replies as she continues to apply pressure. 

“Are you a seventeen year old boy?”

Emma ceases her ministrations and looks at Regina. “Not that I’m aware of. I’m far too considerate to be a seventeen year old boy.” She runs a finger over the already darkened skin, “For a start I put this somewhere that means you won’t need turtlenecks or scarves to stop other people from seeing it.”

“You know dearest there was a time when I wore outfits that definitely would have left your mark exposed to the world.”

“You did?” Suddenly her mouth has gone incredibly dry. It seems all of the moisture has gone to a very different part of her body. 

“All the time.”

“I can’t imagine that.”

“You don’t think I have nice breasts?” Regina manages to sound both annoyed and inappropriately sexual in the same breath. 

Emma’s fingers trace patterns on the puckered flesh surrounding Regina’s nipples, “I think the attention that I am giving them suggests otherwise. I’m just having a hard time picturing you in something so different to your tailored suits.”

“It was a long time ago. I was a different person then. I quite like my suits now.”

“I like them too. I don’t like the thought of other people getting to see these easily.” Emma runs a hand over each of Regina’s breasts and then captures a nipple in her mouth and does her best to claim her territory. Regina doesn’t protest and so Emma slides her fingers down the other woman’s body and claims the flesh between her legs as well.

Regina yields and Emma feels like a conqueror. Her fingers continue to provide dominion over Regina’s slick folds as her mouth moves to expand her empire. She flicks her tongue in and out of Regina’s navel and Regina squirms and tries to push her away.

“You know I don’t like that,” Regina complains.

Undeterred Emma pokes her tongue in again and is rewarded with a blow to the head. “Fuck Regina.”

“That’s exactly what you should be doing.” Regina purrs.

Emma laughs. “I do enjoying teasing you,” she admits.

“You’re lucky I like you. I have killed people for less.”

She laughs again because if she didn’t find the humour in that statement she’d be frightened by the fact that Regina might be speaking the truth. 

“I promise to never do it again.” It saddens her to realise just how true that really is.

It’s possible she’s not the only one thinking that because Regina falls silent. She’s worried she won’t be able to fix this but is pleased to note that Regina still responds to the touch of her fingers. In fact it’s clear that, in spite of Regina’s frustration over her bellybutton being toyed with, she is still close.

Emma decides to double her efforts but it turns out that this is not necessary. She needs only to run her thumb nail over a small, tight bundle of nerves and suddenly it is all over. Regina stretches and sighs and then tells Emma, “That was nice.”

Nice seems like a bit of an insult but a least Regina looks languid and fulfilled. Regina also looks incredibly hot and Emma knows that she has to do something about getting some clothes on her or all will be lost because Emma will never be able leave. 

Her hands search the sheets and are successful in locating Regina’s shirt. She manages to button the top up and goes in search of the pants. She retrieves them from the floor only to drop them again when she looks at Regina lying on the bed wearing nothing but a pyjama top. Emma kneels and runs her thumbs along Regina’s inner thighs as she pushes her legs apart.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“I find it a little concerning that you need to ask that.” Her hands creep up under Regina’s shirt to find her breasts.

“Don’t worry, your intentions are very clear and most definitely appreciated. I’m just surprised.”

“Well I didn’t get you to scream my name.”

“I won’t do it this time either if I know I can get more sex out of you.”

“I’ll just have to keep trying harder.”

“That’s my girl,” Regina says and pushes Emma’s head down.

Emma would be annoyed by Regina’s actions if she wasn’t shattered by her words. She can’t be Regina’s, no matter how much she wants to. There is no chance for them. They have no future. There is nothing but right now and she needs to make the most of the time they have. She tries to push all thoughts out of her head and looking at Regina’s waiting body does help with that.

She moves back and licks her way from Regina’s knee to the top of her thigh. She then repeats the move on the other side. Emma continues to pamper Regina’s legs with kisses and caresses but she stays away from the area where Regina clearly wants attention. “Stop teasing me Emma. I’m fucking dying here.”

“Well we can’t have that now can we?” Emma says as she parts Regina’s folds and places a kiss to her core.

“I don’t think so. Not when there is something that you can easily do to solve the situation,” Regina sounds like she is talking through clenched teeth.

Emma laughs and the vibration against Regina’s skin results in Regina drawing a sharp breath. Despite Regina’s sense of urgency she is slower to respond than earlier. Emma circles her tongue around Regina’s clitoris several times and pushes her fingers into her but Regina stays strong. She continues the process at length, varying both pace and intensity, but her only reward is to have Regina sink her fingernails into her shoulders. 

A change of tactic is clearly required. She draws the flesh around Regina’s clitoris into her mouth and sucks greedily. She pulls slightly with each suck. Regina’s hands move from her shoulders to her head and Emma takes this as a sign of encouragement. She increases the strength of her pulls and then allows her teeth to graze the sensitive area. Regina finally breaks but it’s with a moan rather than a scream.

Emma climbs back onto the bed and lies beside Regina. She burries her face in Regina’s hair and smiles when she finds the scent of apples. It’s faint and almost overpowered by the smell of sex that drenches the air but it is still there. Emma could stay like this forever. If she could freeze time she would.

Time doesn’t stop though, the moment ends when Regina says, “Get my pants off the floor will you?”

She is tempted to ask Regina what her last slave died of but she really doesn’t want to know the answer to that question. Emma spins around and leans over the edge of the bed but the pants remain out of her reach. She grumbles a little as she gets up and grabs them. She grumbles more when she approaches the bed and Regina snatches the pants out of her hand.

“We both know that the chances of me getting these on are far greater if I do it myself.”

“Maybe but that doesn’t seem like a whole lot of fun.”

“I think we’ve both had enough fun for one night. You should put your clothes on too.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“Not just yet.” Emma can’t begin to describe how relieved she is to hear that she is not being dismissed. She dresses slowly, determined to prolong their time together, and then climbs back onto the bed. She throws a leg over Regina and lies on her side watching her intently. 

“What are you thinking about?” Regina asks absently.

“Round three.”

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly.”

“Is this still about the fact that I didn’t call your name?”

“Possibly,” she admits but it’s not the whole truth. The fact is she can’t stop touching Regina. She can’t let this be over.

“It’s ok, I’m done. I’m getting old. I can only take so much.”

“Are you sure I can’t change your mind?” Emma asks as she pulls on the drawstring of Regina’s pants.

“Definitely but there is something that you can do for me.”

“Name it.” At this point she would do anything, absolutely anything, for a few more seconds with Regina.

“Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?” Emma has seen Regina naked many, many times but she has never seen her stripped so bare.

“Of course I will.” She spoons Regina and wraps her arms around her.

She doesn’t know if this is going to work. She doubts that Regina will be able to fall asleep. They both know what this is. They both know that Emma won’t be there in the morning, or ever again.

That’s when the magnitude of what she is about to do really hits her. She is entering full freak out mode when Regina ups the ante. The mayor places a kiss to Emma’s arm and says. “I’m glad you’re here. I want you to know that if I did have a heart you would make it race.” It’s as close to ‘I love you’ as she is ever going to get from Regina and it makes everything so much worse. 

Tears fill her eyes but she will not let them fall. She has turned leaving into a career and she is good at her work. Emma learnt long ago never to say goodbye but this time is different. This time she doesn’t want to say goodbye. She remains silent until Regina stills in her arms and her breathing become deep and even.

She knows she has to leave but she never imagined it would be this hard. She wishes she could find a way to both stay and go. If she could she would split herself in two. Although she fears that wouldn’t solve the problem because both parts of her would probably want to stay with Regina. 

This was never meant to happen. She wasn’t meant to care this much. Emma feels like a zombie as she pulls her arm from under Regina and makes her way out of the house. She might as well be a zombie because she is dead inside. 

Emma calls Henry and waits for him to come to the car. When he seems so eager to leave his mother she could slap him. It is killing her to leave Regina and she is livid that he could abandon her without a second thought. His only concern is what this will mean to his fables and his stupid curse. He doesn’t care for the woman sleeping upstairs. Nobody does. No one except Emma and she is leaving anyway.

She needs to believe in what she is doing and Henry’s attitude is not helping. It’s making her question if he’s even worth saving. Deep down the she knows that the problem doesn’t lie with Henry. The issue is that she doesn’t want to be a saviour and now that she has accepted the challenge she is terrified that she is doing it wrong. 

Emma can’t be the hero these people need and not just because she is running away. She doesn’t want to save them. In truth she doesn’t really even want to save Henry and herself. There is only one person she wants to save and if she knew how to do it she would currently be asleep with that person in her arms. She fights for Henry not because it’s right but because she can. She runs because she doesn’t know how to stay. If she knew how stay, if she knew how to fight for Regina it would be a very different story.


End file.
